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A pole lathe, also known as a springpole lathe, is a wood-turning
lathe
A lathe () is a machine tool that rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning, with tools that are applied to the workpiece to c ...
that uses the elasticity within a long pole as a return spring for a
treadle
A treadle (from oe, tredan, "to tread") is a mechanism operated with a pedal for converting reciprocating motion into rotating motion. Along with cranks, treadmills, and treadwheels, treadles allow human and animal machine power in the absen ...
. Pressing the treadle pulls on a cord that is usually wrapped around the piece of wood or billet being
turned. The other end of the cord reaches up to the end of a long springy pole. As the action is reciprocating, the work rotates in one direction and then back the other way. Cutting is only carried out on the down stroke of the treadle, the spring of the pole only being sufficient to return the treadle to the raised position ready for the next down stroke. Bungee cords are sometimes used as a modern replacement for springpoles. A bungee cord can function within a smaller space but the pole lathe still rotates in two directions and cutting is only possible on the downstroke.
While the action of the pole lathe and the skills required are similar to those employed on a modern power lathe, the timber used on a pole lathe is usually freshly felled and unseasoned, ''i.e.'', green. Dry wood can be turned but the work will be slow and rough on the cutting edge of the tools. The angle that the tools are ground is closer to that of a carpenter's
chisel
A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge (such that wood chisels have lent part of their name to a particular grind) of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal by hand, stru ...
than that of a power lathe tool. Using power lathe tools on a pole lathe is safe, but hard work. Using a pole lathe chisel on a power lathe risks serious injury, since the forces are such that the blade is likely to break. The cutting edge on Pole lathe tools needs to be quite sharp, being honed and stropped beyond the grinding, tools for power turning should not be improved beyond the ground edge derived by not finer than 120 grit. The higher speed and friction will degrade the cutting edge very quickly. In this aspect, pole lathe tools do not perform satisfactorily for very long on power lathes and power lathe tools give a poor finish on a pole lathe that will need to be improved by scraping or even sanding after the work piece has dried adequately.
The pole lathe's origin is lost in antiquity; it is known that
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
s used them from the archaeological finds at
Jórvík
Scandinavian York ( non, Jórvík) Viking Yorkshire or Norwegian York is a term used by historians for the south of Northumbria (modern-day Yorkshire) during the period of the late 9th century and first half of the 10th century, when it was do ...
, the Viking settlement discovered beneath the modern city of
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
in England. The use of pole lathes died out in England after World War II. It has seen a return through the increased interest in
green woodwork,
although the majority of practitioners are at the hobby rather than professional level. Around Britain there are regular courses for learning the art of pole lathe turning and associated skills, culminating in making chairs or simpler items. The use of the spring pole lathe as well as other reciprocating lathes has found a minor following Europe and the United States following the example found with the Association of Pole-lathe Turners & Green Woodworkers based in England.
As the wood is turned green or unseasoned it will shrink slightly as it dries.
This is in slightly different proportions in line with the growth rings and across them and this differential shrinkage means the work piece becomes very slightly elliptical.
This does not happen if the wood is pre-seasoned so you can differentiate between them.
It is not often obvious to the eye but can be felt by running a hand around the piece.
See also
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Bodging
Bodging (full name Chair-Bodgering) is a traditional woodturning craft, using Green woodworking, green (unseasoned) wood to make chair legs and other cylindrical parts of chairs. The work was done close to where a tree was felled. The itinerant cr ...
*
Philip Clissett
Philip Clissett (born 8 January 1817, Birtsmorton, Worcestershire, England; died 17 January 1913, Bosbury, Herefordshire) was a Victorian country chairmaker who influenced and inspired the English Arts and Crafts Movement through various arch ...
*
Green woodworking
Green woodworking is a form of wood craft or in broad terms, carpentry
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction o ...
References
External links
The Bodger's HomeThe development of the lathe
Green woodworking tools
Woodworking hand tools
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